Ship of Magic: The Liveship Traders, Book 1

From the author of the classic Farseer trilogy, Ship of Magic is the first part of the Liveship Traders. Set in a land bordering the Six Duchies, Robin Hobb begins her epic of pirates, talking ships, magic, sea serpents, slave revolts, dashing heroes and bloody battles.

Fool's Errand: Tawny Man, Book 1

For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But now, into his isolated life, visitors begin to arrive: Fitz's mentor from his assassin days; a hedge-witch who foresees the return of a long-lost love; and the Fool, the former White Prophet, who beckons Fitz to fulfill his destiny. Then comes the summons he cannot ignore. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished.

Shaman's Crossing, Book One of the Soldier Son Trilogy

Hugo and Nebula Award finalist Robin Hobb crafts intricate fantasy tales featuring larger-than-life characters and exotic landscapes. Nevare Burvelle was born to be a soldier in the Gernian army. But as Nevare's career takes off, his worldview alters considerably. Corruption and nepotism reign, and now Nevare questions his own ideals, wondering why he continues fighting for the empire.

The Farseer: Assassin's Apprentice

With unforgettable characters, a sweeping backdrop, and passionate storytelling, this is a fantasy debut to rival that of Robert Jordan. Filled with adventure and bloodshed, pageantry and piracy, mystery and menace, Assassin's Apprentice is the story of a royal house and the young man who is destined to chart its course through tempests of change.

The Shadow of What Was Lost: The Licanius Trilogy, Book 1

It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.

The Red Sea: The Cycle of Galand, Book 1

When Dante Galand was just a boy, his father, Larsin, sailed away to make his fortune. And never returned. Since then, Dante has become a great sorcerer. A ruler. A destroyer of kings. And he's just learned that his father is living on a forbidden island at the edge of the known world. Where he's dying of a mysterious plague. In the company of his friend, the swordsman Blays, Dante travels to the island. There, his magic can do nothing for his father.

Cephrael's Hand: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 1

In Alorin...300 years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him....

Age of Myth: Book One of The Legends of the First Empire

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer. Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom. And Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people.

Nice Dragons Finish Last: Heartstrikers, Book 1

Audie Award, Fantasy, 2016. As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don't cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn't fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Spellmonger: Spellmonger, Book 1

Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well: He found a quaint little shop, he befriended the local lord, the village folk loved him, he found a sharp young apprentice to help out, and, best yet, he met a comely young widow with the prettiest eyes.

The Way of Kings: Book One of The Stormlight Archive

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor.

Schooled in Magic

Emily is a teenage girl pulled from our world into a world of magic and mystery by a necromancer who intends to sacrifice her to the dark gods. Rescued in the nick of time by an enigmatic sorcerer, she discovers that she possesses magical powers and must go to Whitehall School to learn how to master them. There, she learns that the locals believe she is a "Child of Destiny" - someone whose choices might save or damn their world, a title that earns her both friends and enemies.

The Dragonbone Chair: Memory, Sorrow & Thorn, Book 1

The beloved first novel in Tad Williams' classic fantasy series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, first published in 1988 and now available as an unabridged audiobook for the first time. Kitchen-boy Simon is bored, restless and 14 years old - a dangerous combination. It seems, however, that his life has just taken a turn for the better when he's apprenticed to his castle's resident wizard.

The Black Prism: Lightbringer Trilogy Book One

Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals. But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

Twinborn Trilogy Collection

Kyrus Hinterdale is about to get drawn into a conflict. His discovery that the world in his dreams is real, and that his twin within that world dreams of him, sets him off on a quest of self-discovery that could reshape two worlds. He is not alone with this special vision. Others like him had been at it far longer, working secret plots and stealing secrets from one world to take advantage in the other. Caught in the middle of an ancient conflict, Kyrus and his twin, Brannis, must discover who can be trusted, who must be watched, and who is out to kill them.

Dawn of Wonder: The Wakening, Book 1

When a high-ranking officer gallops into the quiet Mistyvales, he brings a warning that shakes the countryfolk to their roots. But for Aedan, a scruffy young adventurer with veins full of fire and a head full of ideas, this officer is not what he seems. The events that follow propel Aedan on a journey that only the foolhardy or desperate would risk, leading him to the gates of the nation's royal academy - a whole world of secrets in itself. But this is only the beginning of his discoveries.

Monster Hunter International

Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a 14th story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer. It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. Monster Hunter International is the premier eradication company in the business. And now Owen is their newest recruit.

The Maid's War

Sent on an impossible mission by Kingfountain's ruler into the heart of the enemy's capital as two mighty kingdoms prepare for war, Ankarette Tryneowy must divine the location of a magical sword, perhaps their key to victory. What she finds is the truth - one she could never have foreseen.

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Robin Hobb - "one of the most important writers in 21st-century fantasy" (Contra Costa Times) - continues her enthralling fantasy saga of dragons and their keepers.

Once, dragons ruled the Rain Wilds, tended by privileged human servants known as Elderlings. But a series of cataclysmic eruptions nearly drove these magnificent creatures to extinction. Born weak and deformed, the last of their kind had one hope for survival: to return to their ancient city of Kelsingra. Accompanied by a disparate crew of untested young keepers, the dragons embarked on a harsh journey into the unknown along the toxic Rain Wild River.

Battling starvation, a hostile climate, and treacherous enemies, dragons and humans began to forge magical connections, bonds that have wrought astonishing transformations for them all. And though Kelsingra is finally near, their odyssey has only begun.

Because of the swollen waters of the Rain Wild River, the lost city can be reached only by flight - a test of endurance and skill beyond the stunted dragons’ strength. Venturing across the swift-running river in tiny boats, the dragon scholar Alise and a handful of keepers discover a world far different from anything they have ever known or imagined. Immense, ornate structures of black stone veined with silver and lifelike stone statues line the silent, eerily empty streets. Yet what are the whispers they hear, the shadows of voices and bursts of light that flutter and are gone? And why do they feel as if eyes are watching them?

The dragons must plumb the depths of their ancestral memories to help them take flight and unlock the secrets buried in Kelsingra. But enemies driven by greed and dark desires are approaching. Time is running out, not only for the dragons but for their human keepers as well.

I must have listened to a different recording then the other reviewers. I thought this book was the best of the first three and the first two were very good. I got lots of story for my money, more character development, and dragons that are real dragons. Dragons with attitude as it should be. You can start here and enjoy the book, but you really should start at the beginning. Matter of fact I would suggest you start with Ship of Magic and read that trilogy first. Reading the liveship trader trilogy will make this a richer experience. The Liveship Trader trilogy is my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time.

CEDRIC WOULD NO MORE RUN OFF WITH A WOMAN, THEN GROW A SPINE AND ASSERT HIMSELF.

I will agree with some others that their is a lot in this book that basically sets up the next book. I find it exciting to know that these characters are going to get involved more and what is the city going to be like? Watch out for chapter 10, it is the most emotional, scary, disgusting, and fantastic chapter of any book I have ever read. If you could win an award for best chapter, Hobb should get it for chapter 10. I will admit Hobb speaks to me, I am always amazed in how well she develops her characters. I am amazed in her insight into the human condition and how she is able to write about it in story form. I will say that if you have read any Hobb, with the exception of the Tawny Man trilogy and you don't already feel the way I do, then this will not change your mind. If you love Hobb, this is more of he same.

Flosnik is perfect for Robin Hobb books. I would not want her to read The Godfather, but her voice adds to the mood and atmosphere set in Robin Hobb's books.

I just finished the audiobook and was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love Robin Hobb and most all of her books, but I knew something was wrong with this book when I saw that this book was only 13 hours when all of her others were at least 20+. Without any spoilers I felt this book was all filler drama to make an extra buck. This can't be the end of the series because there was not much progress from the last book. New problems that were introduced in this book were not even resolved. Anyways all bagging on the story aside, I was glad I read it. It wasn't horrible, it just felt incomplete and like it had no real ending.

City of Dragons is the third book in Robin Hobb's Rain Wild Chronicles. According to Hobb, the first two books (Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven) were actually intended to be one book, but were split due to length. And the third and (forthcoming) fourth books were the same. City of Dragons is not a standalone book—it has no climax, virtually no resolution to its myriad storylines, and in fact where you would expect things to be wrapping up it only spawns new plot threads. In a genre where Pat Rothfuss can publish The Wise Man's Fear and we get innumerable Wheel of Time doorstops I'd question whether splitting the story was really necessary, but, regardless, my rating and review are with the understanding that I'm only looking at part of a whole.

Hobb's trademarks are all there: an immersive setting, lush prose, and deep, sympathetic characters. But this book doesn't feel as dark or as desperate as Hobb's other writing. There are threats, such as the fear that with Kelsingra known it will be overrun by treasure seekers, and the mysterious Chalcedean conspiracy. And problems, like the shortage of food and supplies, or the fact the dragons can't fly and so are completely dependent on their keepers. But none of these things feels particularly urgent or unmanageable. Disaster is not imminent. There are a few exceptions, such as one very desperate scene on the dark branches of the tree city of Cassarick (you'll know it when you read it)—but even that scene feels brief and truncated.

The result is that City of Dragons isn't focused on the dragons and keepers like the earlier volumes. It is a much broader book, showing the rippling consequences of Kelsingra's discovery and setting into motion all the forces that will no doubt clash in the finale.

But not every book needs to ratchet up suspense to unbearable levels. The book is a process of discovery, learning about the past and hoping for the possibilities of the future. Will the ancient society be restored, Elderlings and dragons living in symbiosis? And it is very much about relationships (romantic and otherwise). People are constantly forced to make choices about who to trust, who to be with, and then dealing with the consequences of those choices. Combine that with all the threads Hobb left in motion, and the final book promises to be an exciting conclusion to the series!

I really became invested in the characters, especially the dragons. Sintara is wonderfully developed and Thymara is her equal in every way. I frequently forgot that Mercor (was he the wise old serpent in the first Liveship book?) was a dragon and Hebe wasn’t a frisky puppy.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thymara, of course. That girl has skills and guts. Tats was a close second.

What does Anne Flosnik bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Dragons. I never thought I'd invest in a book with talking dragons, but this one really pulled me in.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved when Sedric and Carson came together.

Any additional comments?

My only disappointment with the book was Hobb’s inconsistencies with Malta, one of my favorite characters. When did her dark hair become golden? And when did Ephraim Vestrit become her father? She didn’t even like the man. Kyle Haven was her adored father. Sloppy. But I’m willing to forgive and forget if Hobb writes a final book (longer this time please!) to wrap up the series.

I love Robin Hobbes' wold and books. I like this particular series, but not as much as the Liveship or Fitz and Fool segments. I think unfortunately the rendition of all the female characters by the narrator turned me off. Every exclamation is delivered with a tone that is helpless or pathetic, rather than annoyed or forthright. I think some segments I would have interpreted as sarcasm, she interpreted as victimized. Maybe I have more expectations for strong women than she does, but I like my interpretations better. I will not buy more audio books with this narrator.

Of the three books I've listened to so far, the story hasn't really progressed...there's a lot of unnecessary back & forth of the same storyline among the different characters. I'm all for fleshing out the characters & getting their perspectives but sometimes it stretches the story out to the point of the reader being frustrated. Even though I know there's another book to follow, the way the book ended demands a better wrap-up of the loose ends--does Hest make it to Kelsingra to demand that Alise come back with him to Bingtown or does she continue to defy him & stay with Leftin? does Tintaglia get back so Malta can heal her? does the dragons help the newborn baby survive? do all the dragons finally learn to fly & bring back the splendor of Kelsingra? Not to mention the character, Seldon...he's Tintaglia's keeper but I don't know how he really figures into the story & whether or not he survives the voyage or does he get killed for his blood for the old Duke?Although I'm committed to finishing the last book in order to find the answers to these questions, I feel like it would have been better just to have 2 really long audiobooks instead of chopping it up like it is...